On this Day 1971: BBC Pebble Mill opened by Princess Anne

ATV Today visited ‘Beeb rival’ Midlands network at their new studios called Pebble Mill on the day they officially opened for broadcast and production.

Princess Anne arrived at the BBC Pebble Mill studio in Birmingham, inside she unveiled a plaque.

Pebble Mill produced national programmes such as Top Gear, Daytime Live, Doctors, Telly Addicts, Good Morning with Anne and Nick, Midlands Today, The Doctors and some episodes of the original Doctor Who.

It’s name became nationally known with the entertainment series Pebble Mill at One which aired in daytime from the 70s to the 90s and also a weekend primetime version, Saturday Night at the Mill.

The studios closed in 2005 with the Midlands Beeb service moving to the city centre Mailbox Complex, this a much smaller operation, although it was home to the first series of The One Show. It was announced in August 2022, that BBC Birmingham will leave The Mailbox for the new creative quarter in Digbeth from 2026. The new broadcast centre will occupy the former Tyhpoo Tea factory and increase network production in the city.